KesterTester55 - What and Where? Despite some interesting attractions, most notably of an alcoholic kind, I suspect this district features on few tourist itineraries - indeed you might say it's regularly by-passed. It's got a kind of organic link to its home city, though.
Photo: I happened upon this dilapidation after jumping on a tram to see where it went one day in the summer of 1989. The neglected state shown here contrasted starkly with the parish church, which stood nearby in refurbished splendour at the time.
Once again, apologies for lack of blog activity, the opposition pre-elections/primaries and other writing, plus students have been eating up the hours this week.
So to KT55. I'm not sure how tough this one will prove to be. I'll provide some extra clues if the usual team of detectives can't fathom this one in the next few days.
Answers, please, via the website messaging system or an email.
And I'll aim to wheel out the Black Woolly Hat to do the draw for KT54 tomorrow or Saturday and post it here, so there is still time to put in an entry if you haven't done so.
UPDATE: The results of KesterTester54 Cobblestones, Reflections in High-Noon Light
Once again, a fascinating series of entries for this archway silhouette.
Sandor Nemeth was an early effort. "KT54 is a tricky one! First I thought it was a piece of cake. It couldn't be anything else than the archway of the Gresham Palace on the Pest side of Chain bridge, with a view of Buda castle and Matthias church in the background. Then I thought it must be another archway near there, the one you pass if you walk from Erzsébet ter towards Széchenyi tér, as it is now called, next to what used to be the Postabank HQ.
"Then I took a closer look. Hold on a second, the tram in the background does not resemble any such vehicles in Budapest! Maybe it is a tram in Prague! And then the building in the background is nothing else than the Katedrála svatého Vita in the Hradcany, aka Prague castle. And the picture must have been taken from somewhere near the Jewish cemetery. I wonder...
"BTW, I feel deeply offended for my name not having been put in the Woolly hat for KT52. I thought I would never play again! But then my soft heart triumphed over my tough soul, and I thought Kester can't afford to lose a faithful sleuth, hence my take for KT54. Looking forward to seeing the answer."
Terribly sorry about my awful mistake regarding KT52, Mr Nemeth - and thank you for not reporting me to the European Competition and Draws Supervisory Agency, or I might have had my licence withdrawn - or worse.
Tom Chilton was another quick-fire punter: "I know - that silhouette anywhere. It's Katerina in Prague."
Sorry Tom, it was Karolina. Entry illegible!
(Only joking. You were number 3)
Irena reckoned: "It´s Prague castle in mist, but you should not count me in, I guess." (She's Czech, you see.)
Well, I was feeling generous and did count you in Irena - despite your dreadful misreading of the weather. (It's just the contrast between the sunlight castle area and the darkness under the arch - it was probably 30C, far too hot for any mist! :) )
Bénédicte (at number 5) said some nice things about the photograph, plumped for Prague, but asked: "Where from?"
Coincidentally, competitor number 6 promptly tried to answer that question. "The building silhouette in this latest KT looks furiously like St Vitus Cathedral in Prague. No idea where exactly the pic was taken but is seems a fair distance so it might even be in the Stari Grad somewhere if the tree line is the Vlatva's bank," wrote Hubert "Poirot" Warsmann.
I think I was some way (100 - 200 metres?) north of Charles' Bridge, Hubert, and yes, on the eastern bank - so that has to be somewhere near the Old Town. But it may have been on a 28mm lens, so the Cathedral looks further away than it really is, IYSWIM.
Anyway, 30 minutes ago came the big moment. I kept out the cameras of CNN, CNBC and ITN (they simply don't offer enough sponsorship for the event, you see) and - would you believe it - the EU-approved Black Woolly hat has gone missing again - so eight numbered slips went into the Zwack Unicum Cap.
I fervently hoped that number 1 would not come out yet again (because that would really stretch your faith in me - except, that is, for David Thompson, who had that number) - and out came.... number 7, which corresponded to .... David McCall.
Which is quite remarkable. David has sent in numerous (usually correct) KesterTester entries from the very earliest days of the competition, but just never seemed to win. (I even changed the rules to give him a chance, since out there in Oregon, he rarely had the chance to answer first, as it was in the old days, before I made it a draw.)
Now he's won about three times in the last 5 competitions! It must be like Beatle Mania over there in Tillamook. How can you stand the adulation, David?
Anyway, congratulations to you and everyone who entered. Now, what about KT55, above?
Have a good week.